Sinn Fein TD Dessie Ellis slams anti-immigration protest outside his office in Finglas

Footage of the protest that has been circulated widely on social media shows people marching through Finglas, shouting that while “we welcome refugees, we don’t want men coming here. We don’t want women and children in danger.”

In another clip, a man can be heard shouting: “Are you happy with Sinn Fein?” No!” the crowd replies.

“Are they putting your kids in danger? Yes! Are they putting your sisters in danger? Yes!

“Are they putting your mothers in danger? Yes!”

He then adds: “They are selling yas down the swanny and they have been doing it for 10 years!”

As the crowd gathers at Deputy Ellis’ office, one man, shouts: “Youse (Sinn Fein) have brought this on yourselves.”

He then adds that they are going to march to Finglas Garda Station “to see a superior”.

People can be seen in the background of one of the marches chanting “out, out, out” while others carry an Irish tricolour.

Today, however, Deputy Ellis said he would not be intimidated by such marches but expressed fears that “ordinary” people were being caught up in them.

“There was a crowd there and they were doing all sorts of chanting, this, that, the other,” he said.

“They stopped outside my office but something like that wouldn’t worry me, I’m well used to it.

“I wasn’t in the office at the time but I was aware that this was taking place. I think that there are people now who are just stirring things up and I think it’s going to continue for a while.

“A lot of this is around the myths that are being thrown around by various groups and are sucking in ordinary people,” he added. “My big worry is that people are not thinking it through.

“Some people are angry over various issues, whether it’s housing or medical cards or the hospitals, and there are ways and means to protest about those things.

“But standing outside my office shouting doesn’t make any sense at all.

“I’ve issued a statement before, over the protests in Ballymun and my position is very clear. Nobody should protest outside refugee centres or hotels where people are seeking asylum. That is intimidation.

“If people want to protest over Government policy, then they can go into town and protest there. They are entitled to do that.

“But these protests are not representative of the people of Finglas. People here are very inclusive and welcoming. This is a very small minority, but as I said, there are a lot of ordinary individuals being sucked into this.”

Deputy Ellis added that he had heard there was “talk about them going to my home and that would be a step too far”.

“If that happens, I’ll deal with it. But I don’t think anyone should be protesting outside people’s homes.”

In one tweet posted by RealMessageEire it states: “Protest against migrants in Finglas tonight, Irish people are fed up & tired of been treated like dogs in their own land.”

In other footage Ireland against Fascism said: “Upwards of 100 people” had attended “a 'men only protest' in Finglas tonight against Sinn Féin. Mostly masked angry young lads. Some older men, some women, and some dogs. Not all were from Finglas”.

Gardai said they had not received any complaints in relation to the protests. Nor were there any arrests.